Getting there

By Air

There is a short airstrip at Kalymnos, but most time the wind is so strong,
that it is impossible to alight there. That's why Kalymnos had the biggest racetrack on the world for teenage-car-drivers until 2006. Now domestic flights are landing at this little island airport. Kos is the closest island with an
international airport (airport identity code KGS). Nevertheless you will reach Kalymnos faster than
many hotels at Kos, because the airport is really close to the harbour
named Mastichari (harbour code MXR), wherefrom you only need 45 min for crossing to Kalymnos (harbour code KAY).

Direct flights to Kos are available from most major UK-airports.
It is also easy to reach Kalymnos by aircraft/ferry from Samos (2,5 - 7
h by ferry), Rhodes (3-5 h) and Athens/Piraeus (1-3 times daily, from 5 hours with catamaran or high-speed boat, up to 13
h by car ferry with stops at Patmos and Leros). You can see, the lengths of the journey heavily depends on the type
of ferry you choose.

From Kos to Kalymnos / Vathys

If you have a good timing of flight- and ferry schedule, you can reach
Kalymnos within 60 min. incl. Taxi to Mastichari harbour. If the timing is not perfect, don't worry! Mastichari has one of the best beaches of Kos ( Turn left at the harbour). Take your swimsuit on and start your holidays. If you eat or drink something at a taverna, they will take care of your luggage while you take a bath, if you ask them. And if you couldn't reach the last ferry, don't worry : Mastichari Bay hotel (the owner is my cousin) is the best hotel at Mastichari. Indulge yourself in comfort for a night.

Once you have landed, take the Olympic-Airways-bus (The ferry is still
waiting for the bus) or a taxi to Mastichari harbour ( approx. 16 Euros/ 10 min, price depending on your luggage quantity, etc. ). Mastichari has the easiest, fastest and cheapest connection to Kalymnos
by the A.N.E.M. ferry “Olympios Apollon” (2011: 6,00 Euro) within 45 min. The ferry
travels three times daily all-the-year and is mostly on schedule and reliable. Also many other ferries/boats offer fast connections to Kalymnos.
Tickets you only can get 30 min before departure at the harbour, reservation
is neither necessary nor possible.

Tip:Write down the phone number of the taxi-agency at the airport, to call a taxi for your way back to the airport. Often there is no taxi waiting at Mastichari. Mostly you will get a reservation number, so that nobody else can enter your taxi. Or ask at a taverna to call a taxi for you after having a small meal or drink.

Additional there are up to 15 connections from Kos town (all kinds of
ferries). But the bus/taxi ride to Kos town takes longer time and is more
expensive also the crossing to Kalymnos. At Pothia harbour I will pick you
up, if you like. Give me a call, which ferry you take, I’m waiting
for you IN FRONT OF the port gate.

From other islands with international airport to Kalymnos

It is also easy to reach Kalymnos by aircraft/ferry from Samos (2,5 - 7
h daily by ferry), Rhodes (3 h) and Athens/Piraeus (1-3 times daily
up to 13 h depending on weather) You can see, the lengths of the journey
heavily depends on the type of ferry you choose.

Ferries

Due to the fact that Kalymnos is the most important communications junction
of the Dodecanes and it is close to the international airports of Samos, Rhodos
and Kos, it is an ideal place to start or finish your island-hopping-tour or to shift the direction of it.
Oftentimes more ferries are leaving Kalymnos than Kos. All islands are at
close quarters, therefore the ride time from island to island is quit short.

There are:

Regular big car ferries. Due to the long distances
they ride, they are often pretty delayed, but they are the means of transportation
that rides at nearly every weather.

Flying dolphin boats. They are fast, but very old and in bad
condition. So they often fail, and can’t leave the harbour at more
than 6 wind forces (they were built for Russian lakes).

SeaBus (Click here for Dodekanisos Express Catamaran timetable). They are modern, in very good
condition, on time and as fast as the flying boats and can drive at as
more wind forces as them. Sadly they have only a very few of them, but
a new one is planned. For longer distances it is worthwhile to align your
schedule with it.

Following islands are easy to reach by ferry:

in the north: Patmos, Leros, Lipsos, Arki and Samos

in the west: halfway to Cyclades, Astipalea

in the east: Bodrum/turkey with excellent shopping possibilities

in the south: Kos, Nisyros, Telos, Agthonisi and Symi, Rhodes is reachable
up to 15 times daily.

In the southwest: Karpathos and Kassos

Also reachable: Fourni, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros and with varying degrees
of regularity.

And as a matter of course: Piraeus up to 2 times daily

Splendidly constructed and singular in completeness and reliability is
the anglophone information desk for greek domestic ferries www.gtp.gr